The Road Is Hard: No. 1
Clear wine in a gold cup costs ten thousand a measure;
Fine dishes on a jade plate are worth ten thousand coins.
I set down cup and chopsticks, unable to eat;
Drawing my sword, I look around bewildered.
I would cross the Yellow River, but ice blocks its course;
I would climb the Taihang Mountains, but snow fills them.
At leisure I fish beside a green stream;
Suddenly again I dream of sailing toward the sun.
The road is hard,
The road is hard;
There are many branching paths—
Where am I now?
A time will come to ride the wind and break the waves;
I will raise a high sail and cross the vast sea.
Notes
The title is an old Yuefu song title. A zun is a wine vessel; zhu are chopsticks. Ice and snow block the imagined routes. Fishing by a stream and dreaming of sailing by the sun recall traditions about Jiang Shang and Yi Yin finding service.
Meaning
Bewilderment at a feast becomes blocked roads, historical hopes and finally a resolve to sail across the sea.
Appreciation
The lavish meal contrasts with the speaker’s inability to eat; the drawn sword makes confusion visible.
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Ice and snow block routes, while two historical allusions bring the possibility of future opportunity.
Repeated short lines change the rhythm and voice uncertainty directly.
The closing sail expresses hope and resolve without proving that the obstacles have already disappeared.
About the poet
Li Bai (c. 701–762), courtesy name Taibai, was a Tang poet whose travels inspired many poems about landscapes, friendship and journeys.
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Life: Li Bai grew up in the Shu region and traveled widely. He was summoned to serve at the Tang court before continuing his journeys.
Works: His poems include Thoughts on a Quiet Night, Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu and To Wang Lun.